Patchfirst
CVE-2025-39682 KEVPublic exploit Critical · 9.8 EPSS 3.3%

Linux Kernel Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions Vulnerability

Linux · Kernel

Summary

The Linux kernel's TLS receive path (tls, in the kernel's networking stack) mishandles zero-length records when they are taken from the rx_list queue, due to an improper check for unusual or exceptional conditions.

Official description · NVD

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tls: fix handling of zero-length records on the rx_list Each recvmsg() call must process either - only contiguous DATA records (any number of them) - one non-DATA record If the next record has different type than what has already been processed we break out of the main processing loop. If the record has already been decrypted (which may be the case for TLS 1.3 where we don't know type until decryption) we queue the pending record to the rx_list. Next recvmsg() will pick it up from there. Queuing the skb to rx_list after zero-copy decrypt is not possible, since in that case we decrypted directly to the user space buffer, and we don't have an skb to queue (darg.skb points to the ciphertext skb for access to metadata like length). Only data records are allowed zero-copy, and we break the processing loop after each non-data record. So we should never zero-copy and then find out that the record type has changed. The corner case we missed is when the initial record comes from rx_list, and it's zero length.

Breakdown
77.5 / 100
Exploited
Yes, in CISA KEV
Reports
0
Tactics
1/15

How an attack unfolds

Based on mappings. Select a step to see the evidence.
  1. How attackers get in

First seen exploited 12 months after disclosure. Public exploit code (PoC-in-GitHub) appeared 39 days after disclosure.

  1. Disclosedday 0
  2. Public exploit codePoC-in-GitHub+39 days
  3. First seen exploitedVulnCheck KEV evidenceAdded to CISA KEVEU database agrees+12 mo

CISA KEV listing is when exploitation was confirmed, not necessarily the first attack.

techniques

1 , grouped by in kill-chain order, 1 cited passage 1

Initial AccessTA0001

Exploit Public-Facing Application T1190 Medium
AI mapping from the description · how it is exploited

network-reachable TLS record handling flaw

tls: fix handling of zero-length records on the rx_list
From the official description (NVD) Original (opens in a new tab) ↗

Detection

0 rules for this CVE · 149 general rules for its techniques

Rules for this CVE

0 that reference CVE-2025-39682 directly.

CVE-specific rules are not available in this build. Search SigmaHQ ↗

General rules for this CVE’s techniques

These detect the technique in general, not this specific vulnerability.

Sigma rules © SigmaHQ, Detection Rule License 1.1; linked, not reproduced.

What security researchers reported

Not named in any threat report yet

Also mentioned in 30 community threat pulses (AlienVault OTX)

Weaker evidence

Pulses are indicator collections that anyone can publish. A mention is not confirmation of exploitation.

References

8 links, grouped by NVD tag
↑ ↓ chooseEnter openEsc close